Author: BEX Staff

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX Recent federal defense spending bills are bringing major new projects to Arizona covering a range of essential services and needs for military facilities and servicemembers. Projects and their funding were both recently touted by Arizona U.S. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego. In addition to several program-related issues, Kelly’s announcement highlighted funding for a Child Development Center at Luke Air Force Base, water system improvements at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, and a new Communications Squadron headquarters and new hangar and maintenance facility at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. The new developments were included in the…

The Mesa Design Review Board discussed and provided feedback on NTT Global Data Centers’ planned PH10 development at the NEC of Pecos and Crismon roads in its Dec. 9 meeting. The plan features seven two-story buildings with a build area of more than 2.25MSF on 170 acres. DRB met to discuss the landscaping and aesthetics of the project. Development could take place in multiple phases. According to project documents, the design will include sound mitigation measures both on- and offsite to comply with noise standards and maintain compatibility with nearby uses. Office components are included in the development plan and…

By Arizona Department of Transportation Several large Arizona Department of Transportation projects are set to get underway along Phoenix-area freeways in 2026, including the first projects funded under Proposition 479 approved by Maricopa County voters in 2024. Substantial progress also will be made during the new year on two Proposition 400-funded widening projects along Loop 101 and Loop 202. Voters approved Proposition 400 in 2004. Here is ADOT’s overview of the Valley freeway project heading into 2026: Loop 303 Improvement Project between I-17 and 51st Avenue: This $129M project, scheduled to start by late January, will add direct freeway-to-freeway ramps…

By National Association of Home Builders Sawmill production has remained essentially flat over the past two years, according to the Federal Reserve G.17 Industrial Production report. The most recent data release contained an annual revision, which resulted in higher estimates for both production and capacity in U.S. sawmills. This revision shows current production levels above 2017 by 7.5% and an increased production capacity estimate peaking in the fourth quarter of 2024. On a four-quarter moving average, production is 0.9% higher in the second quarter of 2025 compared to the first quarter. However, sawmill production remains just 0.3% above 2023 levels.…

Groundbreakings 1. ViaWest Group, in partnership with Barings, LLC, and Willmeng Construction, has officially broken ground on ReDiscover Logistics Park, an 808.4KSF industrial development in Phoenix’s Deer Valley submarket. Delivery is expected in Q1 2027. 2. KPPC Advanced Chemicals Inc. broke ground on Dec. 19 on its new U.S. Arizona Plant, an ultrapure chemical manufacturing campus at the Sonoran Valley Industrial Park in Casa Grande. Phase I of UAP reflects a more than $120M investment. Production is expected to begin in late 2027. 3. Strive Compounding Pharmacy recently announced it has broken ground on its new headquarters. The 350KSF building…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX We’ve been naming and shaming for years now, it seems The end-of-year deadlines that dash Seasons dreams. Still, lots of agencies demand your responses Snatching feasts from your plates dousing candles in sconces. Once again, here we list those unseemly deadlines, and call out the issuers on whose worth we opine. These unholy timelines drive us out of our gourds. So come gather ‘round For the Bah Humbug! Awards. Planning | Design | Inspection BIA needs a specialist for Geo Info Support, It’s due Twelve Thirty-One Skip that beachside resort. Mesa wants to examine all…

A bipartisan group of legislators has introduced the Housing for the 21st Century Act in the U.S. House of Representatives as a companion bill to the Senate’s ROAD to Housing Act. The Senate bill was originally submitted as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, but the House dropped it in its final version of NDAA. The House bill features several components that aim to ease the housing building process and increase access to homes. Much of the language targets multifamily development, including: Managing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to establish guidelines for states and municipalities to…

By Roland Murphy for AZBEX The City of Page has rejected a petition seeking to block the land sale associated with a potential $10B, 500-acre data center development. The Arizona Daily Sun reported the City stated last week it rejected the petition under the statutory administrative process because some of the petition signature sheets that were submitted for verification did not have the correct serial number, lacked a serial number and/or did not include a copy of the Page ordinance being opposed. Since the submission did not meet the mandated requirements, officials said none of the signatures were eligible for…

Giving Back 1. The Arizona Builders Alliance held a graduation ceremony on Dec. 4 in Scottsdale to commemorate the graduation of more than 100 construction professionals. The celebration lauded individuals who finished the Leadership Development Forum, Women in Leadership and Emerging Leaders Forum programs. 2. The Lokahi Group is accepting applications for its 2026 Lokahi Scholarship, which will award a $1K scholarship to a graduating Arizona high school senior from the Class of 2026. Eligible applicants must be Arizona residents, plan to attend a four-year college or community college in fall 2026 and have a minimum 3.0 unweighted GPA. Applications…

Sales Transactions 1. Cushman & Wakefield announced it has arranged the sale of the 264.4KSF Pima Center Small Bay Industrial Portfolio, comprised of four buildings located at 8425, 8435, 8455 and 8465 N. 90th St. in Scottsdale. Miramar Capital acquired the portfolio from Mainspring for a reported $62.5M. Cushman & Wakefield arranged the transaction, and Ross Brown Partners will continue leasing and management. 2. EDF Renewables Development Inc., a subsidiary of EDF Renewables, purchased 2,400 acres southeast of Arizona City for $22.55M. The site is proposed for a utility-scale 250MW solar generation and 250 MW battery energy storage facility. The seller…